Alternative technologies and social studies textbooks

In order to determine the potential of alternative technologies in social studies education, we must understand the goals of such education, the capabilities of the technologies, and teachers’ and students’ responses to new technologies. The author suggests that the new technologies can contribute to the goals of learning about the past, learning about democratic life and institutions, and making students knowledgeable as consumers and producers of information. One major obstacle is a lack of time and money for teachers to experiment with the technologies. Stephen T. Kerr is professor of education in the College of Education at the University of Washington. His research focuses on the application of new technologies in schools and other educational environments, and particularly on the ways in which technology affects the social structure (roles and expectations, instructional patterns, organization) of those institutions. He has done work on human-computer interaction, as well as on how new communication technologies have changed the educational system of the former USSR.     

The effect of acceleration signal processing for head impact numeric simulations

Brain injury research in sport employs a variety of physical models equipped with accelerometers. These acceleration signals are commonly processed using filters. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of applying filters with different cutoff frequencies to the acceleration signals used as input for finite element modeling of the brain. Signals were generated from reconstructions of concussion events from American football and ice hockey in the laboratory using a Hybrid III headform. The resulting acceleration signals were used as input for the University College Dublin Brain Trauma Model after being processed with filters. The results indicated that using a filter with a cutoff of 300 Hz or higher had little effect on the resulting strain measures. In some cases there was some effect of the filters on the peak linear (8–30g) and rotational measures (1000–4000 rad/s²), but little effect on the finite element strain result (approximately 2–6 %). The short duration and high magnitude accelerations, such as the puck impact, were most affected by the cutoff frequency of different filters.     

Factors associated with concussion-symptom knowledge and attitudes toward concussion care seeking in a national survey of parents of middle-school children in the US

BackgroundDeveloping appropriate concussion prevention and management paradigms in middle school (MS) settings requires understanding parents’ general levels of concussion-related knowledge and attitudes. This study examined factors associated with concussion-symptom knowledge and care-seeking attitudes among parents of MS children (aged 10–15 years).MethodsA panel of 1224 randomly selected U.S. residents, aged ≥ 18 years and identifying as parents of MS children, completed an online questionnaire capturing parental and child characteristics. The parents’ concussion-symptom knowledge was measured using 25 questions, with possible answers being “yes”, “maybe”, and “no”. Correct answers earned 2 points, “maybe” answers earned 1 point, and incorrect answers earned 0 point (range: 0–50; higher scores = better knowledge). Concussion care-seeking attitudes were also collected using five 7-point scale items (range: 5–35; higher scores = more positive attitudes). Multivariable ordinal logistic regression models identified predictors of higher scores. Models met proportional odds assumptions. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) (excluding 1.00) were deemed statistically significant.ResultsMedian scores were 39 (interquartile range: 32–44) for symptom knowledge and 32 (interquartile range: 28–35) for care-seeking attitude. In multivariable models, odds of better symptom knowledge were higher in women vs. men (aOR = 2.28; 95%CI: 1.71–3.05), white/non-Hispanics vs. other racial or ethnic groups (aOR = 1.88; 95%CI: 1.42–2.49), higher parental age (10-year-increase aOR = 1.47; 95%CI: 1.26–1.71), and greater competitiveness (10%-scale-increase aOR = 1.24; 95%CI: 1.13–1.36). Odds of more positive care-seeking attitudes were higher in white/non-Hispanics vs. other racial or ethnic groups (aOR = 1.45; 95%CI: 1.06–1.99) and in older parental age (10-year-increase aOR = 1.24; 95%CI: 1.05–1.47).ConclusionCharacteristics of middle school children''s parents (e.g., sex, race or ethnicity, age) are associated with their concussion-symptom knowledge and care-seeking attitudes. Parents’ variations in concussion knowledge and attitudes warrant tailored concussion education and prevention.     

Blogadapting: Adaptation Experiences among Expatriate Bloggers

ABSTRACT

Increased global communication is adjusting traditional models of cross-cultural communication. Specifically, changes in international communication processes have caused increased scrutiny of cross-culture adaptation theory. This is especially true when focusing on the difference between cultural adaptation and functional fitness. The purpose of this research is to address changes in global communications by testing to see if there is a difference between two important theoretical concepts within cross-cultural adaptation theory – linear and non-linear adaptation. Findings indicate that cultural sojourners do not equate cross-cultural adaptation with linear models of functional fitness. Models that equate the two should be revisited.     

Combined individual scrummaging kinetics and muscular power predict competitive team scrum success

Scrummaging is a major component of Rugby Union gameplay. Successful scrummaging is dependent on the coordination of the forward players and the strength of the eight individuals. The study aim was to determine whether individual scrummaging kinetics and other candidate factors associated with scrummaging performance discriminate team scrum performances. Sixteen club-level forwards (stature: 1.80?±?0.1?m; mass: 99.0?±?18.2?kg) were initially divided into two scrummaging packs. A total of 10 various scrum permutations were tested, where players were randomly swapped between the two packs. Winning scrums were determined by two observers on opposite sides of the scrum. Fatigue (100?mm visual analogue scale (VAS)) and scrummaging effort (6–20 rating of perceived exertion (RPE)) were assessed following each scrum contest. Individual scrummaging kinetics were acquired through an instrumented scrum ergometer and muscular power indicated through vertical jump heights. Student’s t-tests were used to differentiate between winning and losing scrum packs. VAS and RPE were assessed using repeated measures ANOVAs. Winning scrum packs had significantly larger combined force magnitudes (p?<?.002), regardless of the player contribution calculations. Additionally, winning packs had less individual movement (p?=?.033) and higher combined vertical jump heights (p?<?.001) but were not significantly heavier (p?=?.759) than losing scrum packs. While perceived VAS and RPE values progressively increased (p?<?.001), no differences in the individual scrum magnitudes were observed between the 1st and 10th scrum (p?=?.418). The results indicated that the combination of individual forces, variation in movement and factors related to scrummaging performance, such as vertical jump height, were associated with team scrummaging success.     

MYTHPERCEPTIONS OF HEARING LOSS,HEARING AIDS,AND AGING

Myths are ill‐founded beliefs held uncritically by persons or groups about other persons or groups. Such myths hinder the communication process and lead to negative feelings or attitudes toward older persons with hearing loss. Hudson, Dancer, Patterson, Reynolds, and Tillery (1990) highlighted five common myths of hearing loss and aging. This article explores whether older persons themselves accept these and other myths presented by the DanPat, a 30‐item questionnaire with “Agree‐Disagree” statements such as the following: “Hearing Aids are Best Left to younger Persons Who Can Learn to Use Them,” or “Persons with Hearing Loss are Paranoid and Suspicious.”

Twenty older persons attending a Senior Companions and Foster Grandparents Health Fair filled out the DanPat with the following results to the 30 statements: informed about 14 of the statements; misinformed about 2 statements; and didn ‘t know the correct answer to 14 statements. Of the five prevalent myths presented by Hudson et al., this group of older adults still believes only one, that persons with hearing loss are excellent lipreaders. They don't know what to believe about two others, and they have discarded the remaining two. This article highlights the DanPat and provides correct answers to the questionnaire.